


Foundations

by Milktrician



Series: Milk's TMA OCs [1]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Asphyxiation, Bugs & Insects, Childhood Trauma, Gen, Leitner Books (The Magnus Archives), Memory Alteration, The Beholding Fear Entity (The Magnus Archives), The Corruption Fear Entity (The Magnus Archives), The Dark Fear Entity (The Magnus Archives), The Spiral Fear Entity (The Magnus Archives), The Vast Fear Entity (The Magnus Archives)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:48:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28640259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milktrician/pseuds/Milktrician
Summary: Statement of Raj Narayan, regarding the monster in his closet. Original statement given March 12th, 1999.Statement of Olivia Ivanović, regarding a message in a bottle. Original statement given May 19th, 1999.Statement of Meredith Davies, regarding a relative that no longer exists. Original statement given March 5th, 2005.Statement of Fredrick Callaghan, regarding a late shift at the bookstore. Original statement given April 13th, 2014.AKA: What brings those to a hand that feeds.
Series: Milk's TMA OCs [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2047985
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	1. Hide and Seek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Statement of Raj Narayan, regarding the monster in his closet. Original statement given March 12th, 1999.
> 
> AKA: You fear more what you can’t see.

[CLICK]

**JERICHO**

And this is the record button.

**RAJ**

Right.

Well uh, thank you Mr. Usher...for the tape recorder! And for the position in your department here.

**JERICHO**

Oh that’s all you, Mr. Narayan. Your own published works are rather outspoken if I say so myself. I’m sure Mr. Walton agrees.

**RAJ**

Has he...been informed? My employment I mean, since we’ve only spoken to each other through emails. I don’t think I ever told him I was going to apply here in the midst of our discussions.

**JERICHO**

Oh I’m well aware. However I’ll leave it to you to introduce yourself, hm? Must be quite exciting to see each other eye to eye rather than simple text on a screen.

**RAJ**

I-I suppose so. It’s er, I never thought it would get to this point though to be honest.

**JERICHO**

Well it has, Mr. Narayan.

Mm. If you’re looking to ease some nerves, why not make a statement?

**RAJ**

What?

**JERICHO**

I think it would feel good to let something festering in one’s mind outside for once. Doesn’t have to be in here either, perhaps just talk into the tape in private.

**RAJ**

I...suppose so.

Well, have a good day Mr. Usher. I have to catch the bus before the sun sets.

**JERICHO**

You too Mr. Narayan.

I would hate to see you in darkness.

[CLICK]

* * *

[CLICK]

**RAJ**

I...I guess I could use this.

[DEEP BREATH]

It feels weird that I’m actually working here now? At the Foundation. Not exactly a dream job, something close to it I suppose.

I should probably call my aunt later.

…

Maybe I should have told Gabriel I was applying to actually work at the Foundation. 

God, it was kinda out of the blue too...just saw the position open and applied.

Well it’s been way different than my last job. Never thought I’d actually get to researching something.

Can’t believe this all started because—

Well.

**RAJ (STATEMENT)**

It started with the closet. 

I was recently put into my aunt’s care and she didn’t want me to spend my eighth birthday with her alone, so she asked some of the other mothers on the street we lived on if any of their kids wanted to come to my party. Led to me being in a room full of strangers trying so hard to be their friend.

It was a game of hide and seek that I started. It’s hard to remember who was “it” at that time, but I decided the best hiding place would be my closet. Despite my latent fears regarding the dark, I tucked myself under a coat and next to a drawer in the corner and waited.

Soon enough I lost track of time, and while I desperately wanted to win the game, I started to think about what else could be hiding in here with me. If someone else could be hiding in here and watched me come in, or the amount of bugs taking refuge in the dark, and eventually I thought of the monsters that could be lurking within.

I remember my heart probably skipping a beat at that revelation, and soon enough I nearly jumped at something I thought touched my leg. I then had between two choices in my mind to either get out of this place or stay and win the game. It led to me slowly getting out from under the coat and trying to reach out for the doorknob to open the door as quietly as I could.

I grabbed a hold of the cold metal and then I felt the back of my hand brush against something _warm_.

I froze. There _was_ something here. 

An exhale of a hot breath over my head confirmed everything for me as my heart jumped in my chest and a million thoughts shot through my head.

What was that? Is it going to eat me? Can it see me? It must be able to if it’s in here—How long has it been in here? I needed to move, to escape. The doorknob was in my hand. I just needed to open the door.

And I turned it.

And it barely budged, as if it were locked.

I don’t have a lock on my closet door.

Just as soon as it started, my mind went blank as I stood out of my hiding place, exposed, and no idea what to do. The only things I could process was the creature breathing on me and the rapid thumping of my heart. 

The creature brushed up against me again and I threw myself at the door in a panic. My eyes were wide, darting around me in the darkness trying to piece what was about to eat me. I could feel the massive maw open wide, breathing on me, waiting for perhaps another slip up. Or maybe this particular creature simply liked playing with it’s food.

I couldn’t help but cry as I tried my hardest to control my breathing. All that was going through my head was that I was going to die, and it was my fault. 

I don’t know when I passed out due to hyperventilation. But I remember waking up in the emergency room with no idea of what was going on. Rest of that is more of a blur in my mind of check ups and my aunt worrying over me. 

Turns out I was locked in that closet for hours. Nobody even bothered to find me while they gave up on hide and seek after everyone else had been found. They told my aunt that _I_ told them they could go home. It was only after my aunt searched the house top to bottom in a panic that she found me.

[SIGH]

Children can be cruel sometimes.

After all that I didn’t know what I experienced was real or an extension of my fear of the dark playing tricks on my mind. Even then, it felt real to me. And real to my head too.

I can’t stand being in the dark anymore without...remembering that time in the closet. It was only after a particularly vivid episode in highschool that I actually got to go to therapy about it. I’ve managed, but I still get that irrational anxiety with the dark. Like a scar on my mind that will never go away. 

I don’t disregard my own experience as just a hallucination.

Well.

I still saw the door after I switched rooms, right in the corner of my eye where I had to question myself if I was mentally sound. That was until the door got more proactive. Replacing doors I was going to open, and eventually—I got trapped once again. I met that creature ready to eat me once more and I passed out sooner than I would have thought. I was found later unconscious in my middle school’s hallway and taken to the nurse’s office. 

I’m perplexed as to what the...goal...of this creature is. I say it in that I’m not sure if it would ever have eaten me, the times I got stuck in that closet. That doesn’t consider the environment it has seemed to transform my closet into, after I moved all my belongings out of it I don’t think it leads to what I would consider the space that is my closet anymore. 

There’s almost a sense of endlessness whenever I’m in there, yet I tend to feel suffocated and trapped. After I found myself within that space once more while in my final year of high school I’ve basically trained myself to double check any door I come across. Which is cumbersome, but it helps. Any amount of markings I make seem to stay on it, so I thought about painting it some...garish color, but I’m rather afraid of the scratch marks near the bottom of the door itself.

Anytime I’ve tried to show someone the last location of a door it tends to disappear, usually burning out the lights of the room in the process. But it’s been my sole evidence that the supernatural exists. Or moreso creatures outside our current understanding of zoology and possibly reality. Rationalizing my fears is actually what led me into researching cryptids and other monsters rooted in mythology. Quite an interesting deep dive if I do say so myself.

Living with...this...in my current adult life is almost a contradiction I would say. While I am both terrified and would rather _not_ find out if this creature would find pleasure in ending my life, I am too curious in how and why this creature exists. Along with the many others I’ve read about in Gabriel’s papers and archived statements.

Then there’s the question of how the door works, in terms of how it can appear anywhere and replace doors, leaving no trace afterwards. It always catches me off guard when it traps me, when I wasn’t paying attention I would walk into complete darkness and the door shuts, locking me inside. I don’t know why it let’s me out after I pass out, or maybe that’s what triggers being able to exit out of the room. It’s still a complete mystery to me that I’m cautious to truly investigate until now.

**RAJ**

Well, I went off on a tangent there. Forgive me for that I suppose.

Who am I kidding? I’m talking to a tape recorder.

Hm.

Mr. Usher was wrong. I don’t feel better after recording this at all.

Now how do I—? 

[WOOD CREAKS] 

I—I—uh.

_[hushed]_ _That’s the first time it’s ever appeared right in front of me._

...Perhaps I should wait this out, if I can. Maybe get the light bulbs ready. They should be in my room…

[FOOTSTEPS]

[WOOD CREAKS] 

_Fuck!_

You’re not trapping me this time, not after I just—

[ELECTRICITY POPS]

[GASP OF AIR]

S—shit.

Y-You’re here aren’t you?

[BREATHING QUICKENS]

I—I need to—

I c-can do this—I...I...

[TAPE RECORDER CLATTERS TO THE GROUND]

[CLICK]


	2. Beneath the Waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Statement of Olivia Ivanović, regarding a message in a bottle. Original statement given May 19th, 1999.
> 
> AKA: Two opposing sides share the same domain within a vast crushing ocean.

[CLICK]

[DOOR CREAK]

**OLIVIA**

Gabe. It’s time to take a break, I did not spend years as your study partner to once again tell you to take a break from your work.

**GABRIEL**

O-oh. I didn’t notice the time, are you heading out?

**OLIVIA**

Actually I want to record something in your office, Mr. Usher handed me this tape recorder and told me I could do anything with it. Sooo...why not test it out?

So shoo. Go and eat!

**GABRIEL**

Could you have at least picked some place else other than my office?

**OLIVIA**

Nope!

Also take that other new hire with you, he’s working way too hard for an assistant if you ask me.

**GABRIEL**

You mean Mr. Narayan?

**OLIVIA**

_ Raj  _ is the name you should be using.

Anyway, the man is a walking pile of anxiety who can’t make a lick of normal small talk.

**GABRIEL**

Are you sure about that assessment?

**OLIVIA**

Gabe, you know my methods. Plus if he’s set on staying here he does need to be  _ familiar _ with his department’s head, eh?

I’ve been chatting with him here and there and let me tell you he has some  _ strong _ opinions on the Mothman.

**GABRIEL**

The  _ Mothman _ …?

**OLIVIA**

See he’s just like you! Knows jack about pop culture but talks his ass off about crop circles.

**GABRIEL**

Hey I’ll have you know—HEY!

**OLIVIA**

Go get ‘em tiger!

[DOOR SLAMS]

[LOCK CLICKS]

[MUFFLED VOICE CAN BE HEARD BEFORE GIVING UP]

That’s weird. I wonder how long this thing’s been recording.

Oh well, hm...let’s see what I can talk about—

**OLIVIA (STATEMENT)**

I suppose I had an above average childhood. Most of my memories from when I was a child were of the spectacular tales my father told me of his journey to America. Nowadays I’m very sure that most of his stories were just to fill my mind with wonder.

I mean, working in a magic library? Following his coworker across the seas in search of cursed treasure? Conning the rich to accumulate enough to settle down in  _ New Jersey _ of all places? Sounds crazy to be real, but it entertained me and my brother for years.

He’s retired and living with my brother’s family now, probably fishing. Though it’s not like I’ve seen him since I delivered the wedding invitation years ago. At least Jacob understood when I walked down that aisle in the best goddamn dress on my own.

“Not the son I raised!” My ass. ‘Course I wasn’t. Even if I went back to try and talk things out he’ll probably mention the divorce and “how he saw it coming” or some crap.

…

Sometimes I think what happened to mom really hit him hard. Sent us away to our relatives and didn’t come to us for years no matter how much we tried to get back to the man who told stories of venturing the high seas looking for cursed treasure.

I was probably in middle school at the time. Day on the beach as a family, and me and my brother played along the waters with the careful watch of our mother while my father was meeting with some “old friends” nearby. Me and my brother used to collect shells into a bucket and show them to our mother. Probably awaiting the day we find something amazing like in the stories our dad told us.

That’s when we found the bottle. Something straight out of a story my dad would have told, a message in a bottle simply floating in the waves. When I picked it up I felt immediately seasick and dropped it into our bucket. My brother wanted to open it, but I told him we should show our mom first. So we could read it together.

We arrived back at the umbrella our mom sat under and showed her the bottle. She smiled as she opened it, teasing us with the mystery as she stood tall and opened up the message to only her. Then her eyes went wide, iris’ dilation larger than I’ve ever seen it before, and her smile dropped. She folded the message and hastily shoved it back into the bottle despite our protests. She corked it and started walking towards the ocean, her dress blowing in the soft breeze as we looked in confusion.

I told my brother to go find our dad while I tried to stop our mom. When he rushed off towards the restaurant I turned back to see my mother had picked up the pace towards the waters and I rushed after her. I grasped her arms and tried to pull her back but that made her run harder and faster towards the water.

Eventually I figured the bottle must have been part of it so I used all my strength to pry it out of her hands. I lost my footing and landed in the water beneath me but I hugged that bottle tight. She tried to grab it out of my own grip but I held it tight as I tried to resurface to get some air.

Until my own mother pushed me back down and grasped her hands around my neck. Everything crushed against me as I held that bottle as tight as I could. 

[LOCK CLICK]

_[frantic]_ I kicked my legs in the struggle desperate to get away as I started to choke on the water filling my lungs—

[DOOR CREAKS]

**GABRIEL**

Raj reminded me that I had keys to my…

**OLIVIA (STATEMENT)**

—or the amount that got in as my mother held my neck—

**GABRIEL**

Liv?

**OLIVIA (STATEMENT)**

M-my grip be—began weakening as my v-vision blurred—

[FOOTSTEPS]

**GABRIEL**

Oliva!

**OLIVIA (STATEMENT)**

—bu—but I had p-passed out as the pressure on my neck was suddenly released. I—I woke—

**GABRIEL**

OLIVIA!

**OLIVIA**

I...woke—I-I—

...Gabe?

**GABRIEL**

Liv, Liv I’m here. Take some deep breaths, you looked a little out of it for a sec.

**RAJ**

...Is she alright?

**OLIVIA**

I—um.

I didn’t mean to say all that.

**GABRIEL**

Say what? What were you recording?

**OLIVIA**

I don’t know, the words just...kept falling out.

I—I think I need a break.

**GABRIEL**

I could get some water, and well uh, me and Raj finally decided to just head down the road to get some lunch. I was going to ask if you wanted to come.

**OLIVIA**

…

You know what? No. I’ll be fine on my own. You two go without me.

**RAJ**

A-are you sure? I don’t mind—

**OLIVIA**

Nope! Go go go! I’ve got things to do.

**RAJ**

Well if you say so. I suppose let’s go.

**GABRIEL**

Alright. Just make sure you’re okay, alright Liv? 

[FOOTSTEPS]

[DOOR CLOSES]

**OLIVIA**

I can’t believe he’s actually  _ that _ clueless to what I was setting up.

[CLICK]


	3. Mirror Image

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Statement of Meredith Davies, regarding a relative that no longer exists. Original statement given March 5th, 2005.
> 
> AKA: What’s left when one half is torn from the whole?

[CLICK]

**MEREDITH**

I was uh…I was in the breakroom today after my first day here. Artifact storage is a lot to take in. Especially the first day? Quincy gave me the rundown on how we handle everything here.

Er, anyway Mr. Walton saw me, a little shaken? I didn’t know why he was there. But he uh, suggested I give a statement to let it all out. 

Doesn’t have to be to someone, just privately talking to a tape recorder here. Gave me one to take home, and well, I can’t think of anything else.

It’s just.

[DEEP BREATH]

It’s our birthday today.

Well. It’s just mine now.

**MEREDITH (STATEMENT)**

My sister Lorelei, heh, we always hated having something rare and unique. Always thought my name was fit for an old lady instead of me, and well, we were twins you know?

We just called each other Lorey and Mery. All throughout our schooling. Even after living in the same room for so long, after we stopped sharing things and began living independent lives. She did arts, and loved dancing. Did colorguard actually, you know those flag twirlers and rifle throwing? When it wasn’t dancing it was her paintings, later fashion and going to a design college.

I was more of a band kid really, played a mean bassoon. Did marching band with her so our parents could come to all our competitions. But I focused more on the sciences, AP tests and the like. I wanted to get into a good university. But went our separate ways after college, always checked on each other though. Went to family events together, updated each other on anything going on in our lives. Just like we were in the same bedroom again, only finding each other to confide in about our secrets and such.

I don’t know how long it didn’t take me to notice, but my mother’s birthday was three months ago and we all arrived to celebrate.

Except my sister never showed up.

I called her and it told me that her number was out of service. So I asked around and my relatives looked at me like I was crazy.

I thought they were pulling a joke on me first, when they told me they didn’t know who I was talking about. I called her boyfriend, who told me to get lost and he hasn’t been in a relationship in years. That’s when my mother told me to stop and perhaps I should lay down and rest.

I was silent for the rest of the night, mostly confused. I wandered aimlessly around the old house until I spotted the framed photos. I thought it would be good enough evidence to prove my sister existed.

That’s when I really knew something was wrong.

It was just me, my dad, and my mom. All of them, even in ones from family reunions. I first thought I was insane at first, that I’ve been hallucinating a twin sister for my entire life. But there was a space left behind, always where I knew where she would be there.

The next few days I began conducting my investigation. I checked old videos at first, that there’s no way that those would have been changed. But they were. Old performances, I spotted myself in the drill, and I looked towards where the colorguard was and there was an empty space where she would have been.

I checked family videos next, birthdays.  _ Our _ birthdays. It was almost like how I remembered it. But it was only me, where Lorelei was it just...she was gone.

_ Everything _ . She just disappeared without a trace.

I called her boyfriend again, lied that he was part of some investigation I was a part of, forensics team stuff that sounded important enough to let me in. I don’t know, I was really desperate at the time.

Looked for any evidence that she lived with him, hairs, prints, objects. It just...it was all gone. Like she was just  _ erased _ from existence.

The days, weeks after I...I just coasted through life. I distracted myself with my job at the time, just trying not to think about what could be happening to me.

Then she showed up at my door. 

I welcomed her in with open arms. She said some made up story that I can’t seem to remember, it was all a lie anyway.

We spent a bit just  _ talking _ , I was out of it. I was just so elated that my sister was here, that she was  _ home _ . I hugged her so tightly, I didn’t even notice it was like I was phasing into her, that her body didn’t seem right when I was touching it. She was heavy, yet the insides felt hollow. Warm yet parts of her were so cold. 

It took me a bit before I realized that her story didn’t make sense, that the parts didn’t make up the whole.

That’s when I knew this wasn’t my sister. And  _ it _ knew that too.

It’s appearance seemed to warp, it took my sister and it contorted—stretched—just...just brutalized her. I felt it’s long fingers graze my cheek as it wiped away a tear. 

And it disappeared without a trace, leaving me there to just...question everything. I even thought about admitting myself into a mental hospital after that. 

Perhaps I should have, maybe, I don’t know. 

I—I keep seeing it just flashes of that...monster in the mirror. I swear it can reach through it and grab me. I can’t stand looking in the mirror anymore either. I’ve covered all the ones in my apartment, but even on reflective surfaces, I can still see my face.  _ Her face. _

It led me here though, found the internet archive this place typed up? Bunch of different statements about people disappearing, strange messed up creatures, things pretending to be human. And I thought. Maybe this could help me.

I just hope it does.

**MEREDITH**

I’m holding a small...vigil? Remembrance? Just anything to honor her memory, make sure she doesn’t...disappear from my mind.

I…can’t forget...

[SOBBING]

[CLICK]


	4. Booksmart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Statement of Fredrick Callaghan, regarding a late shift at the bookstore. Original statement given April 13th, 2014.
> 
> AKA: He swears he caught it on video.

[CLICK]

**RAJ**

_[deadpan]_ What?

**FREDRICK**

Have you guys ever upgraded your technology since this place opened in the 50s?

**RAJ**

I’ve been informed that this is our standard of recording live statements. Sometimes the audio would get corrupted when we first started digitally archiving everything. Tape _apparently_ has been proven to work with 90% of our efforts of archiving across our locations— 

**FREDRICK**

Yeah yeah I get it. My footage got corrupted once I got to take a look at it too. 

**RAJ**

Your... _footage?_

**FREDRICK**

Yeah I was recording it for my YouTube channel?

I cover weird things and horror topics.

It’s a good pastime while I try to find some footing somewhere. Still, uh, living in my van I converted a few years back.

**RAJ**

Sorry, is this related to the statement?

**FREDRICK**

Oh yeah, guess I should get to that. I wanted to talk about a late shift I had at the bookstore the other day.

**RAJ**

Alright.

Statement of Fredrick Callaghan, regarding a late shift at the bookstore. Statement recorded direct from subject April 13th, 2014. Statement begins.

**FREDRICK (STATEMENT)**

So I was looking to get some extra cash a few weeks back because I finally decided I was going to try and settle down for once. Funny thing is the only reason why I decided to drive up to DC was to check out this organization, you know? But I finally landed some work at a few places, and one of those was a bookstore. Looked pretty old, the owners were this old couple, probably having run the place for years. But I just manned the register and helped organize the mess of donations and shipments the place got.

Nothing particularly noteworthy happened in my regular hours. Occasionally the awkward customer buying manga or some of the explicit stuff we tuck away in the corner that no one wants to see you buy. But a week ago one of my coworkers quit all of a sudden and I got landed with taking over their shift. It was the last one in the day, and you had to close up shop afterwards.

I was usually the only one in the store sometimes, it got really boring to be honest and so I usually spent my time browsing my phone or working on another video on my laptop. The owners didn’t mind. I guess they saw me as this young guy down on his luck or something. It was just me in a quiet old bookstore as the sun set behind the horizon.

It was when I locked up one day and just turned off the lights that I heard a banging on the door. When I turned on the lights I saw through the window a large woman in this light green cardigan and a backpack. She had her hair tied up and had those like...librarian glasses? Y’know like ones with the chain attached at the ends? Around middle aged I guess, I can’t tell half the time to be honest.

My first thought was, “Oh, I guess a customer came too late, I’ll just tell her to come back in the morning.”

But then I was like, “Wait. What if she’s a robber?”

But _then_ I thought, “There’s no way someone in a cardigan and those glasses would ever rob a bookstore of all places.”

And then I was like, “What if she’s some like, librarian on a rampage or something and—”

**RAJ**

[BLATANTLY CLEARS THROAT]

**FREDRICK**

Sorry.

**FREDRICK (STATEMENT)**

Anyways so I opened the door and the woman wanted to ask if there was a certain book in stock. I believe it was this really specific version of _The Metamorphosis_ by that Kafka guy? Never was really my cup of tea. 

I kinda found it weird that she asked if the copy was like, really dirty and mangled. Like if the owners would even keep a book in that condition. But sure enough, I found it. Might have been on accident, I kinda have this intuition where I pick a direction and I just stumble upon things. But yeah, found the book as she described horribly mangled as it was.

I was about to pull it out of the box I found it in when the woman told me to stop and she pulled out her phone, probably texting someone I guess.

It took a bit before the woman told me to stand back, and I complied. This was probably totally against my contract but I was curious to see what would happen. She pulled out a pair of metal kitchen tongs and picked up the book and asked if there was an entrance out the back. I showed her out, locked the front door and turned off the lights. I turned back and saw her take out some container out of her bag and pour it’s contents all over the book on the pavement. When I realized the liquid was _kerosene_ I had a multitude of options fly through my mind.

Anyways I started filming.

She didn’t seem to mind, she was more focused on the book anyways and set fire to it. It immediately was set ablaze and I started to rethink my actions in letting this random person take a book out of the store and commit arson. Well, that was until the book started spitting out bugs.

Yeah, no shit, it started spitting out bugs.

**RAJ**

...May I ask we keep obscenities to a minimum?

**FREDRICK**

Are...are you not going to ask about the bugs?

**RAJ**

I have several questions, but I will refrain from asking until you are finished.

**FREDRICK**

I...sure?

**FREDRICK (STATEMENT)**

So. Burning book. Bugs pouring out.

The woman tells me to start killing ‘em, and I have no idea what’s going on. So I just start stomping on the ones coming at me, the woman pulls out a can of hairspray and pulls a makeshift flamethrower. So obviously, really gross. But at least it stopped once the book finally decided to burn into a crisp.

So now I’m just standing there, tons of bug gunk on my shoes and probably the weirdest video on my phone now. 

The woman tells me thanks, and begins walking off and the night is quiet once more.

I didn't stop her, I was kind of in shock to be honest.

It wasn’t until after I cleaned my shoes that I was up to stomaching that experience again. Though I was quite disappointed that once the book was set on fire the footage seemed to crash my photos app. Once I transferred it to my laptop the footage just corrupted at that point. Didn’t think about what else to do until I got reminded why I drove up here in the first place, and well. Now I’m here.

**RAJ**

Statement ends.

So. Did the woman ever mention her name at all?

**FREDRICK**

Nope. Never caught her name at all during that.

**RAJ**

Are there any cameras in the area?

**FREDRICK**

Uh, I dunno. But I have the file on this flash drive if you want to look at it.

**RAJ**

Sure. I think we’ll be done here, Mr. Callaghan. If we decide to look into your case you can leave your contact information with the front desk.

**FREDRICK**

Right, thanks for hearing me out, man.

**RAJ**

You’re...welcome? Also leave the door open on your way out.

[FOOTSTEPS]

[DOOR CREAKS]

**RAJ**

I swear to god.

[FOOTSTEPS]

 _[through gritted teeth]_ **MEREDITH. OLIVIA.**

**OLIVIA**

_[across the room]_ Yeah?

**RAJ**

My office.

_Now._

[CLICK]

* * *

[CLICK]

**ELTON**

What did you say your last name was again?

**FREDRICK**

Oh, Callaghan. Here I’ll write it down for you. It's pretty easy to miss the “g”.

**ELTON**

Woah, wait. Are you the guy who makes—

**FREDRICK**

Paradoxia? Yep that’s my channel. You a fan?

**ELTON**

No kidding, ever since the mysterious moderator video. Always makes me take a look just to check if the legends are true, y’know?

**FREDRICK**

Well damn, I never thought I’d find a fan here of all places. How the heck did you end up working here at, well, supernatural central?

**ELTON**

I needed a job and this place needed some people in admin. I’m actually the assistant of the Head but he usually has me down here at the front desk since the last guy quit. And the other guy...and the other guy…

Uh.

Pays well though.

**FREDRICK**

You’ve never seen anything... _y’know_.

**ELTON**

Mm, yeah I can pretty much agree the paranormal exists by now. Doesn’t really affect my day to day though.

**FREDRICK**

Wait, really? You guys actually have evidence of supernatural stuff happening here?

**ELTON**

Probably? Nobody pays attention to any of the papers published here anymore since some of the leaks of our archived statements got out.

Hold up a sec, I got a call.

…

Alright sir.

[RECEIVER CLICKS]

Uh, here. Come with me.

**FREDRICK**

What’s up?

**ELTON**

You got a meeting with the boss apparently.

[CLICK]

* * *

[CLICK]

**RAJ**

When I asked you both to look into the Vargas statement, I didn’t mean for you to _find the leitner and burn it._

**OLIVIA**

Well you just didn’t figure the book would still be at the bookstore.

**RAJ**

You burned it _in front of an employee_.

**MEREDITH**

At least...the footage got corrupted?

**RAJ**

_Christ._

**OLIVIA**

To give us credit, at least there won’t be any more man sized bugs being created anymore!

**RAJ**

Meredith I thought your experience in artifact storage—

**MEREDITH**

**—** it’s led me to believe that leitners _suck_? And you know what happened to the last guy who tried storing all these books in one place.

**RAJ**

Just—

Just tell me next time you both are going to pull something like this?

Gabriel is probably going to have an aneurysm once he reads over the file.

**OLIVIA**

_[jokingly offended]_ Raj! You work with me for 14 years and you don’t think Gabriel knows my methods?

**RAJ**

Burning leitners wasn’t on your resume last time I checked.

**OLIVIA**

Oh, Carrie never mentioned it when she was heading research?

[RAJ GROANS]

[CLICK]

* * *

[CLICK]

**FREDRICK**

Wait. Really.

Me of all people.

**GABRIEL**

You said you were looking for work? I thought since you were going to stay in the area...well, this would be a good opportunity for you.

**FREDRICK**

No, I just—I was just giving a statement? Why would you...you know, hire me?

**GABRIEL**

I’m aware of your work, Elton gave me a recommendation to watch it a few weeks back.

Plus it’s just an internship. And I’d rather not have someone looking for trouble in a paranormal sense not have any sort of backing to fall upon.

**FREDRICK**

I’ll...I’ll consider it, Mr. Walton. Thank you for the opportunity.

[FOOTSTEPS]

[DOOR CLOSES]

**GABRIEL**

[SIGH]

I wish you would stop finding trouble, but you can’t exactly cease that kind of drive in a person.

 _[begrudgingly]_ I hope _you’re_ happy with another documentarian.

[CLICK]

**Author's Note:**

> There's a fifth one from Elton I have semi written, but haven't finished it in it's entirety. I wanted to have the rest of these out though.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> OCs Included in these statements:
> 
> Usher Foundation:  
> Raj Narayan (Head Researcher)  
> Meredith Davies (Researcher)  
> Olivia Ivanović (Researcher)  
> Fredrick Callaghan (Assistant Researcher)  
> Elton Nguyen (Assistant to the Head, Occasional Receptionist)  
> Gabriel Walton (Head of the Foundation, Avatar of the Eye)
> 
> I normally dont publish fic, I do draw art at [my tumblr here](https://milktrician.tumblr.com/) though.


End file.
